2027 Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS

The Mercedes-Benz GLS is already our favorite large luxury SUV, and a host of upgrades for 2027 should cement its place in the top spot for years to come. Those enhancements, which include a new über-powerful operating system, hands-free driving around town, and a trio of screens that make up the infotainment system, are also coming to the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS. This is the even more luxurious cousin of the GLS — competing with ultra-premium SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan — and I think the refreshed model does a fantastic job not only differentiating itself from the standard GLS, but it mounts an effective offense against its exotic rivals.

I recently spent some time poking around the new Maybach GLS at a private villa on the French Riviera (tough job). Here's what I learned about Merc's new ultra-luxury SUV.

The Maybach GLS goes to finishing school

I'll be honest: I thought the outgoing Mercedes-Maybach GLS looked pretty bad, like someone just slapped a bunch of chrome strips on the GLS. However, the updated model wears its Maybach duds with more grace, and the exterior brightwork has been toned down a bit, thank goodness. Oh, sure, there are still a whole bunch of little Maybach logos on the lower front air intakes — a design motif reminiscent of a Louis Vuitton bag. But, overall, I like the slightly more restrained styling. It doesn't take away from the Maybach GLS' curb appeal.

Naturally, there are a ton of ways to spec the Maybach GLS, with two-tone paint options that range from subtle to over-the-top. The standard 22-inch wheels have an elegant 20-hole design, but I'd personally go for the larger 23-inch monoblocks, which have more wow factor now that the rest of the SUV's styling isn't so flashy. Bonus: The monoblock wheels have weighted center caps now, so the three-pointed star logo is always upright, while in motion or while parked. Double bonus: The Maybach GLS has power-retractable illuminated side steps, so you can get in and out of the SUV with grace.

Superemely powerful and comfortable

The Maybach S 680 sedan is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 — in the U.S., anyway. But the Maybach GLS 680 doesn't use this engine. Instead, the SUV has the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 as the GLS 580 and AMG GLS 63, complete with an integrated starter-generator (aka mild hybrid system) that can provide small amounts of stopgap energy to smooth out the operation of the stop-start system or allow the engine to shut off while the vehicle is coasting.

This V8 — known internally as M177 Evo — is a heck of an engine. In the Maybach GLS 680, it produces 603 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, specs that match the output of the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63. Mercedes hasn't released an official 0-to-60-mph acceleration spec for the Maybach GLS 680, but the AMG GLS 63 can do this sprint in 3.9 seconds, so I expect the slightly heavier Maybach to fall somewhere in the 4.0- to 4.2-second range.

Like the S 680 sedan, the GLS 680 SUV has a unique Maybach drive mode that softens the adaptive dampers with the goal of providing serene ride comfort. The GLS 680 also gets the same car-to-X suspension tech that debuted on the 2027 S-Class, where it can actually send and receive information about road imperfections to the cloud and proactively adjust the dampers accordingly. Electronic roll stabilization keeps the GLS' body level and collected during cornering, and a Curve mode will let the GLS "lean" into turns by up to 3 degrees — sort of like the way a rider leans on a motorcycle while cornering — to reduce lateral g-forces on passengers. It's all in the name of on-road bliss.

Better tech than Bentley and Rolls-Royce

The 2027 GLS gets a new multimedia setup that incorporates three screens spanning the dashboard. But Mercedes-Benz has thankfully left a number of physical buttons and controls intact. The trio of 12.3-inch screens run the company's newest MB.OS infotainment tech, with Google integration and natural-language AI-backed search functions. This is a modern, responsive, bright and colorful multimedia display, and it far and away beats anything else in the ultra-luxury segment. The Bentayga and Cullinan don't even come close.

Rear passengers can play with a pair of 11.6-inch high-definition displays (an optional extra), controlled via touch or through individual remote controls in the center console. You can control infotainment features, browse the internet, take Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls (don't), and more.

Driver assistance tech is also in high supply and is once again a step above what Bentley and Rolls-Royce offer their customers. Full-speed adaptive cruise control, automated parking assist and a 360-degree camera system are standard, and there's now a Rim Protection Warning feature that projects a top view with distance alert, to keep you from curbing those big chrome monoblock wheels while parallel parking. What's more, the 2027 GLS will soon be available with Mercedes' new MB.Drive Assist Pro point-to-point hands-free driving system — something we tested (and loved) in the new CLA sedan.

Get the Executive Seats. You won't be disappointed

You can buy the Maybach GLS 680 with a traditional rear bench seat. But if you actually need three-abreast seating for your fancy spoiled-brat children, why are you buying the Maybach in the first place? The regular GLS with its three rows of seats and extra cargo room will be much better suited to your needs.

Folks riding in the back of a Maybach GLS absolutely deserve the optional Executive Seats, which are heated, ventilated, electronically reclinable and have a massage function that even extends to the fold-out calf-rests. There's a fixed center console between the seats with dedicated wireless phone chargers, climate-controlled cupholders to keep your beverages hot or cold and, of course, you can get a small refrigerator for your water, soda, Champagne or whatever. Note: Opting for the Executive Seats cuts into way-back cargo space, and adding the fridge eats up a big chunk of luggage room. But is it worth it? Definitely. Just pack light.

At an estimated $190K, it's actually kind of a bargain

Yes, really. Consider the fact that the Maybach GLS' key competitor, the Bentley Bentayga, costs tens of thousands of dollars more, isn't any nicer inside, has worse multimedia and driver assistance tech, and comes with fewer standard features. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan offers a decidedly different and slightly more upscale experience, but it's also more than twice the price of a Maybach GLS. Yikes.

To be clear, $190,000 is only my best guess at a starting price. The current GLS 680 starts at $181,350 including a $1,350 destination charge, and I assume the new SUV will be more expensive, because everything is more expensive these days. Final pricing will be announced closer to when the Maybach GLS goes on sale in early 2027.